National Institute of Professional Development (NIPA) has taken its promotion of the culinary arts one rung higher with the opening of its NIPA’s Bistro. The eatery on the premises of the further learning institute in Cay Hill is open only on Thursdays from noon to 2:00pm and offers a chance for the lunch crowd to get a sumptuous three-course meal at a locked in price of US $20 per person. Reservations are required.
A total of 18 students are part of the Level 1 Culinary Arts programme and a dozen are in the Level 2 Culinary Arts programme. Each week, eight NIPA hospitality stream students take on the roles as the front of house restaurant staff, primarily as the waitresses and waiters. And one of the Level 2 students acts as the head chef of the kitchen and is responsible for preparing the menu for that day. This accounts for the different menu each week at the restaurant. Students are guided by NIPA master chefs Alexander Adoptie and Renata de Weever.
NIPA’s Bistro is a vehicle for the institution’s theoretical teaching to move from the pages of recipe books and in-the-classroom skills sharing into a real-life setting. With the help of diners, the bistro aids the students in gaining real world experience before truly stepping into the actual culinary world. The students at NIPA are seeking to build up their skills and to pursue a market-ready skill, especially those needed by a culinary-inclined destination as St. Maarten.
The menu varies each week and is available in advance via the NIPA Facebook page: facebook.com/NIPASXM (this is also the link to stay updated on all of NIPA’s other programmes and activities). Reservations can be made by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Reservations are to be made no later than 24 hours prior to the day of the lunch – therefore, before the end of the day on Wednesday.
Reservations are a must to ensure comfortable seating for everyone. NIPA’s Bistro seeks “to provide a dining experience that is of the highest calibre.” The response from the community has so far been amazing. “We are very grateful to everyone who has come out to experience our service and to sample culinary art at its best with the next generation – St. Maarten's future,” says NIPA. In the culinary arts programme, students learn various cutting and cooking techniques and gain knowledge in commodities. As an assistant cook/chef, students prepare dishes and learn how to manage inventory. The Level 2 programme is available for students who have successfully completed the Level 1 course. Sounds interesting? Register now! Registration deadline is April 17, 2020.
NIPA is not only about the culinary arts. The institution offers a myriad of courses including Teacher’s Assistant and the NIPA School of Nursing. It also partners with companies to bring needed knowledge and skills to students, as well as the wider community. One such event is a three-day certified workshop in concrete! NIPA and Argos Cement have teamed up to allow 10 persons to learn about general concrete properties and behaviour, concrete pavement, mass concrete, curing of concrete and concrete durability and to get certified in this area.
Christopher C. Ferraro, Ph.D., P.E, FACI, assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment (ESSIE) at the University of Florida, is the facilitator of the workshop series set for next week. Registration for this series is closed, but others like it will be held in the future.
There is a space awaiting you or a young person you may know who has an aptitude for troubleshooting vehicles. The NIPA automotive programme will expose students to the automotive industry. A full range of systems theory and practical maintenance and repair procedures are covered in the course. Topics included in the programme are steering and suspension system, brake functions, engine mechanical functions, air conditioning/heating systems, fuel, and exhaust and accessory systems. The application deadline is April 17, 2020.
